Football Nina and the Neurons

# If you've got a question and you don't know where to go

# Ask Nina for some help Cos she's got a science show

# She makes sense of her senses While helping all her fans

# By doing her experiments with potions and with bangs

# Touch your tongue Tongue

# Fingers Fingers

# Eyes Eyes Ears Ears

# Nose Nose

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Luke he helps us with our eyes and Felix with our touch

# Ollie sniffs out smells and scents and Belle she hears so much

# Bud is Ollie's brother he helps us with our taste

# They're Nina's little Neurons and they're coming to your place

# Touch your tongue Tongue

# Fingers Fingers

# Eyes Eyes Ears Ears

# Nose Nose

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know Yeah!

# Nina and the Neurons find out what you need to know

# Oh, yeah! #

Yes! Goal! Whoohoo! Yay!

Oh, hello there.

I'm just playing table football and I'm celebrating

because I just scored a goal. Yes!

BEEPING

I hear a beep, I see a flash, I wonder what they're going to ask.

-BOTH: Hi, Nina.

-Hi.

We've got a question for you.

Why do we play football in a team?

That's a great question. Why do we play football in a team?

I love playing football, and it's great to play with your friends.

But why do you play in a team?

Why don't you come down to my lab and we'll investigate?

BOTH: See you soon, Nina. Bye.

Bye.

Well, I'm going to need some help to answer this one

and I know just who to ask.

OK, Neurons. Time to get to work.

ALL: Neurons at the ready, Nina.

OK. Today's question is "Why do we play football in a team?"

Now which Neuron will be most useful

in helping us find the answer?

ALL: Me! Me!

Will it be fabulous Felix?

I can help so very much, if you need the sense of touch.

Will it be beautiful Belle?

I send messages to brain from ear.

If there's a sound, I'll help you hear.

Will it be lovely Luke?

For looking and seeing, day or night

I'll help you with your sense of sight.

Will it be awesome Ollie?

If it's pongy or whiffy but you can't tell

my messages help your sense of smell.

Or will it be baby Bud?

Sour, salty, bitter or sweet. I'm your taste buddy whenever you eat.

It's Luke.

ALL: Go, Luke! Go Luke! Go, Luke!

Cool, Nina. I'll be looking out to help you.

Today's question is why do we play football in a team?

Because football players need to see the ball,

Luke, our sight Neuron will help us.

But stand by, Neurons.

I've a feeling I may need help from you all.

Right. I need to get the lab ready before the experimenters arrive.

Kingsley likes riding his bike.

Safiye loves painting.

I like playing football in the park.

I like scoring goals.

But they both want to know, "Why do we play football in a team?"

So today, for one day only,

Safiye and Kingsley become the experimenters.

-Hi, guys.

-BOTH: Hi, Nina.

Welcome to my lab, and thank you for your question,

"Why do we play football in a team?"

To find out, let's start by using our senses.

ALL: Whoop whoo! A senses experiment.

ALL: We're ready, Nina.

First, let's have a look at a football match.

-Now, how many teams are there?

-Two.

That's right. Two teams play against each other.

Players wear different colours,

so everyone knows what team they belong to.

Otherwise they might get confused,

and kick the ball to the wrong player, Nina.

Exactly, Luke.

Each team tries to kick the ball into the other team's goal.

They also try to stop the ball from going into their own goal.

The goalkeepers try to stop the ball

and they're the only people

who are allowed to touch the ball.

It's really important to have a plan when you're playing in a team.

So let's do an experiment to find out why.

What a terrible mess you've left the lab in today, Nina.

That's not mess, Felix. That's our experiment.

Experimenters, we are going to pick up all of these beanbags

and put them into this bucket.

And we need to do it as quick as we can,

and without talking to each other. OK?

-Are you ready?

-BOTH: Yeah.

Go!

Oh.

Oh. Sorry.

-THEY LAUGH

-Oh sorry. Sorry, Kingsley.

I'll get that one.

Oh, there's one over here.

Quickly. Last one. Last one.

Go, go, go, go.

And stop!

Well done, experimenters. We did that in 33 seconds.

But I think we can do it even quicker, and with fewer bumps,

if we make a plan.

A plan? That sounds like a great idea.

So what should our plan be?

There are three bits. Why don't we take one each?

That's a great idea.

So, Safiya, you take all the bags from this side here,

and Kingsley, you can collect the ones from the middle,

and I'll collect all the beanbags from my side.

OK. Brilliant plan.

Te-e-e-e-eam...

ALL: Nina! Whoohoo!

-Right. Are you ready?

-Yeah.

Go!

Go, go, go!

One more. One more.

Stop!

Guys, that was brilliant. And do you know what?

We did it much quicker. We did it in... 23 seconds!

We knocked a whole ten seconds off. Yay! Well done.

Because we shared the work, and covered different areas,

we didn't waste time going for the same beanbag.

And it's the same in football.

Players cover different areas of the football pitch.

Some players are mostly trying to score goals, while others,

like the goalkeeper, are trying to stop the other team

from scoring goals.

Making a plan is really important in team sports

so that everyone knows what to do.

If you don't make a plan, you might end up bumping into each other.

So team players all have different jobs, and cover different areas.

That's right, Neurons. Let's go somewhere special to find out more.

Here we go. I can't wait to see where we'll end up today.

Nina said it's a big special place.

I hope we're going to a restaurant.

Oh goody. We haven't been to a restaurant in ages.

-It doesn't look like a restaurant, Neurons.

-We're here

So, to answer your question, why do we play football in a team,

we've come to this cool football pitch.

Now you might play football in the park, or in the garden,

but most football teams play on a pitch like this one.

-It's huge, isn't it?

-BOTH: Yeah.

One player couldn't possibly be everywhere on this pitch at once.

So that's why a football team need to work together to cover

different areas just like we did earlier.

So let's have a look at this.

These players are practising two of the most important skills

that footballers need.

Passing the ball, and dribbling.

Dribbling? Bud's brilliant at that, Nina.

Especially when I see cake.

Not that kind of dribbling.

Dribbling is when you run with the ball, kicking it along.

It's a great way to move the ball around the pitch

while keeping control of the ball.

But if a player dribbled all the time,

it wouldn't be the best thing for the team.

Let's do an experiment to find out why.

When we play football, we play against another team.

These players, Karen and Page, are going to try

and get in your way and stop you moving forward with the ball.

So you guys need to work as a team to get the ball past them.

Kingsley, you're starting

and you'll dribble the ball forward.

Remember, we don't want the other team getting the ball.

Here we go!

WHISTLE

OK, now. You can try and get the ball around the player,

or you could pass the ball to Safiya.

I think the best way to stop the other team getting

the ball is to pass it to Safiya, so go for it.

Lovely. Go and get the ball.

Excellent. Safiya, it's your turn to dribble the ball.

Oh, no. They just keep getting in the way.

I think you need to pass the ball again.

Who are they going to pass it to?

Kingsley, can you move forward

and then Safiya will pass the ball to you.

Go for it. That's it.

Move forward so Safiya can pass you the ball.

Go, Safiya!

Go on, Kingsley!

THEY CHEER

Brilliant teamwork. Now what has that experiment shown us?

Sometimes it's better to pass the ball.

That's right.

Often, it's safer to pass the ball,

than try and dribble the ball around someone

who's trying to take the ball from you.

It's often best to pass when you see

a player from the other team coming to get the ball.

The team need to keep passing the ball to move the ball up the pitch.

And then they can score a goal.

But football isn't just about scoring.

It's also about trying to stop the other team scoring.

Let's do one final experiment to find out more.

This is Rachel.

She's a goalkeeper.

Rachel, can I ask you to stand as you would

if someone was going to score a goal against you.

Brilliant. Do you see how she's spread out wide.

She's making herself as big as possible.

OK, guys. How much of the goal can she reach right now?

Not very much.

OK. Interesting.

Rachel, can I ask you to take five steps forward, please?

OK. How much of the goal can she reach now?

All the way to the red.

There's definitely more of the goal covered now.

Could you now take three steps forward for me, please.

Perfect.

OK, guys. How much of the goal can she reach now?

All the way to the blue.

That's right.

Now that the goalkeeper is closer to us, she's blocking more of the goal.

Which makes it much harder to kick the ball past her into the goal.

So, let's see if we can score a goal.

Oh!

I'll go! I'll go!

Aww! That was my chance!

Aww! Good save.

Go, Kingsley! Go on, quickly!

Yeah! Well done, guys.

-Well done.

-Yeah.

Thanks, Rachel.

# Nina and the Neurons #

So, your question was, "why do we play football in a team?",

and I think we've answered it.

Football players have different jobs, and cover different areas.

So they don't go for the ball at the same time, and bump into each other.

Ouch! Everyone knows what to do because the team make a plan.

And when the goalkeeper moves forward, they block more of the goal.

So I hope that's answered your question.

BOTH: Thanks, Nina. Bye.

You're welcome. Bye.

If you want to know more about the science that's all around us,

go to the Nina section on the CBeebies website. Have fun!

ALL: On your marks. Get set. Go!

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# If you're itching for some exercise

-# From your head down to your toes

-Toes

# Why not try out something new And give it a real go

# Whenever you are restless And feeling kind of bored

# Grab your friends and go outside And try a brand-new sport

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Spinning, throwing, Running, jumping

# Lots of fun to do

# Cycling, diving, sliding, rolling

# It's really up to you

# If you're wondering how a swimmer swims

# Or a bike can go so fast

# Give it a bash and make it last It's time to go get sporty

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

# Get sporty

# Do-be-do-be-do-do-do-be-do-do

And remember, whether it's inside, outside, on a bike or in a pool,

we can all try something new and get sporty.

See you again soon. Bye.

ALL: Bye.

Get sporty!